As is true for each of us, mine is a story of God´s plan as it has been revealed to me along the path, each day filled with the gifts He has desired to give me.

Liz Adams in her United States Naval Academy uniform

As is true for each of us, mine is a
story of God´s plan as it has been revealed to
me along the path, each day filled with the gifts
He has desired to give me.

I was in my second
year at the United States Naval Academy and each day
I was contemplating the upcoming decision referred to as "two
for seven." After these two years of challenging and
enriching experiences, would I give another seven of my life
to the Naval Service?

I had never expressed my interior deliberation
to those close to me. There had to be more
to life than the ideal of becoming a model midshipman,
making the grades, throwing the shot and discus and excelling
as the "all-around athlete." I was not happy, I
was not being authentic, and I was living as I
thought I had to be, not as God wanted me
to be.

My motives in attending the Academy were
not the most pure. Yes, I wanted to defend
my country and I wanted to serve my God, but
what I really wanted was to prove myself, to add
another accomplishment to the list.

But then, during my
first year I came to understand that the one unchanging
certainty in life was that I needed God. I
became more and more involved with Catholic activities on the
Yard and by my second year I started attending various
bible studies and prayer groups and participating in outreach projects.
I began a routine of daily prayer and Mass
as often as possible. I was slowly realizing that
studies and sports were not going to give me fulfillment.
Still, I assumed I would just sign the papers
as all my peers would.

In April of 2000 I learned of a
fellowship in Europe that would enrich my faith and allow
me to meet other Catholic university students, not to mention
give me the opportunity to tour a little of Europe.
I could see Rome and meet the Pope! What
better opportunity could I ask for? So, I
applied, rearranged my schedule, and in May I flew across
the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Little did
I know that God was going to give me the
greatest gift I would ever receive, second to my baptism
and the sacraments. Each day we attended lectures given
by various renowned theologians, philosophers, bio-ethicists, and apologists. The
program of formation was intense, but what impressed me most
was the example of strong committed Catholics who were actively
living their faith.

I can remember while sitting in
a lecture on education the professor said, "If you are
not learning anything in your classes, if you´re not interested
in the subject, GET OUT!" The leadership training and
education I was receiving at the Naval Academy was of
the highest quality and I can see now that my
time there taught me how to value what I have
now in the Regnum Christi Movement in terms of its
formation. Yet somehow I knew with this professor´s statement that
the Naval Academy was not the right place for me.
It was time for me to take another road.
I called my parents and told them the news:
"Mom, Dad, I´m going to be a Catholic missionary."
They were justifiably shocked in light of the fact
that I had never previously expressed my consideration of leaving.
They wanted to be sure I was serious and
that this was not just a whim but a well
thought out decision, whereupon they gave me their support.

God has given me the grace to step back
and set aside my expectations of myself in order to
see where He wanted me to go. I spoke
with my spiritual guide about all that was transpiring as
a consequence of time spent with Christ. God showed
me that the Navy was not where He wanted me,
and upon ending the fellowship I was certain I would
not sign on for seven more years as a naval
officer. I was still obliged to finish my summer
training with the Navy, so I returned to Annapolis to
fulfill my obligations and formally resign.

The next step.
I proceeded to Rhode Island, where co-workers in the
United States complete six weeks of training. The entire
co-worker year is a combination of human, intellectual, and spiritual
formation attained through a process of learning the facts of
the spiritual life and apostolate, assimilating it in workshops in
the co-worker course and practically applying it in experiences during
the year, thus forming the integral woman.

God gave me
an unimaginable gift in this opportunity to serve him.
I realized half way through my first year that I
had so much to learn and God desired to give
me much more, so I am now giving a second
year. I see that this is His path for
me. Each day he continues to give me the
grace to say yes to his will in the smallest
details of my life, and I never realized I could
find so much happiness in doing his will. By far,
above all other enriching experiences is this one: that
Christ has revealed Himself to me and He continues each
day to draw me closer to Him.